Ever, Ever After
by Paige Elise Hale
Summary: What if Emma wasn't the first visitor to Storybrooke? Abby comes to town and finds refuge with Jefferson, the town shut in. "I thought all little girls wanted a happy ending", Jefferson said. "Well I learned a long time ago that happy endings don't happen", Abby told him, "Besides, happy endings are overrated".


Ever, Ever, After

**I do not own Once Upon a Time in any way.**

**A/N-I just got into Once Upon a Time, but I've watched all of Jefferson's episodes.**

* * *

Jefferson had just finished clipping the strings off yet another hat when his doorbell rang.

No one came to visit him….

He got up and answered it.

There stood a girl.

"Excuse me, I seem to be lost", she told him.

"Not my problem", he said slamming the door in her face.

"Please! I have nowhere else to go!" she yelled.

Jefferson sighed and opened the door again. He stepped aside to let her in.

"Thank you", she said, "I'm Abigail".

"Jefferson", he said shutting the door.

"Wow. Jefferson, your house is gorgeous!" she said.

"Thanks", he said giving her a small smile.

"Do you any blankets or anything?" she asked him.

"Yeah", Jefferson said going to a hall closet. He pulled out a fleece blanket and wrapped around Abigail.

"Thanks", she said, "Do…do you mind if I stay with you? I mean…I can cook and clean and do laundry, make tea".

Jefferson considered this for a moment. He was all alone in this mansion. "I think I'd like that", Jefferson told her.

* * *

Abby and Jefferson settled into a routine. She would cook and clean for him and in return, he allowed her to stay.

Jefferson did all the shopping and he expected her to be gone every time he left, but she remained.

It puzzled Jefferson.

Why would anyone want to stay with him?

He wasn't a nice person, but yet she stayed.

* * *

Abby found Jefferson in his hat room. She set the tea tray down on his work table and walked over to the shelves of hats. She picked up one of his hats and put it on her head.

Jefferson chuckled.

"What do you think?" she asked him.

"I don't think it's really your style", he said leaning his head back.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"What makes you ask that?" he asked her.

"It seems like something's bothering you", she said coming over to sit on his desk.

Jefferson sighed and said, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you".

"Try me", she said.

Jefferson told her his story. About how the Evil Queen tricked him. How he lost the only person he had ever loved.

"That's so sad. I know what it's like to lose a child", she said, "But it explains why you spend all your days in here".

"So what's yours?" Jefferson asked.

"My what?" Abby asked him.

"Your story", he said, "You mentioned you lost a child".

Abby's hand came up to rest on her stomach. "His name was going to be William", she told him.

"Going to be?" Jefferson asked.

"When we found we were expecting, he was so excited, so we went to tell his parents. His father went into a rage and started to beat him. He told me to run, so I did. I ran and ran. I didn't stop until I blacked out. The next thing I knew, I was in the hospital. I lost him. I lost my son after 3 months", she told him.

"I'm sorry", Jefferson said.

"It's okay. I've accepted it and moved on", she said.

* * *

"Why did you stay with me?" Jefferson asked Abby, "You could have left Storybrooke and yet you stayed".

"Dunno. I guess I wanted to make you happy", she told him; "I knew you were broken up about losing Grace".

"That's not all is it?" he asked her.

"I love you Jefferson", she said, "I never thought I would love someone again. I don't expect you to love me back".

"I thought all little girls wanted a happy ending", Jefferson said.

"Well I learned a long time ago that happy endings don't happen", Abby told him, "Besides, happy endings are overrated".

"That's what makes me love you", Jefferson said.

"You what?" Abby asked him.

"I love you Abigail", he told her, "You'll make a wonderful mother for my Grace".

* * *

*after the curse is broken*

Jefferson and Abby stood at the bus stop waiting for Grace.

She stepped off the bus with her friends.

Abby nudged Jefferson.

He walked forward a few steps and said, "Grace".

She stopped and turned. She smiled and ran towards Jefferson. She threw her arms around him. "Papa! I knew you'd find me!" she said.

Abby smiled at the happy reunion.

Jefferson hugged her back and picked her up. "Grace, this is Abby", Jefferson told her, "She's going to be your new mother".

"Hello Grace", Abby said.

* * *

*a few years later*

Jefferson entered the bedroom his shared with his wife Abby. He set the tea tray on the bedside table. "Abby? Time to wake up", he told her.

Abby rolled over on her side cradling her 5 month pregnant stomach.

Jefferson swept some hair off her forehead and behind her ear.

She opened her eyes. "Morning", she said.

"Morning", Jefferson said. He helped her to sit up. "How do you feel?" he asked her.

"Like every morning", she said, tired circles around her eyes.

Jefferson handed her a cup of tea. "They say it helps", he told her.

She reluctantly took the cup from him and gently drank it.

Jefferson took the cup from her once she was done.

She stroked her stomach like she did when she was thinking.

"Should we talk about names?" Jefferson asked her, "Do you have any ideas?"

"Hope", she said.

Jefferson laughed.

"What?" Abby asked him.

"Hope?" he asked.

"Hope and Grace. I think it's perfect", she told him.

"Well if you like it, I like it", Jefferson said.

"I love you Jefferson", she said.

"I love you too", he said placing a kiss on her lips.

Maybe happy endings weren't so bad.


End file.
